Concert: Darker My Love in Los Angeles

Opening number "Backstreet" is what the Byrds would have sounded like if they had grown up listening to the Byrds. "Split Minute" evoked the heyday of flower power and had me searching skyward for some sort of fractal kaleidoscope display across the ceiling. Alas there was none. "18th Street" could have been an outtake from the White album. "June Bloom" had all the shimmer of the Strawberry Alarm Clock. Particularly groovy was "Saunter," a song recorded for but not included on the album, proving once again that sometimes the best stuff ends up on the cutting room floor. This isn't power-pop in the traditional sense, but it is as melodically gripping as an earwig burrowing into your auricula. If anything, DML has made a terrific record that begs to be taken on a road trip.

Buttoned up and sober as a priest, frontman/lead guitarist Tim Presley has very little Elvis in him. Unfortunately, Presley's substantial lyrics fail to grab in a live setting because of his "leave me alone, I'm working" stage presence. Substantially bearded and bear-like, bassist Rob Barbato has a clear, gentle voice that does not match his imposing physique. Rhythm guitarist Jared Everett plays a sound jangle with detached purpose. Drummer Dan Allaire is a clock who looked as if he was perpetually holding back one helluva sneeze. But the secret weapon is the aptly named Will Canzoneri (canzone means "song" in Italian), whose deft keyboard playing filled the songs with lush, serpentine, Ray Manzarek-type countermelodies.

Not quite sullen, and certainly not charismatic, DML is a machine that chugs smoothly along without the acknowledgement of each other or those before them. Each member is in his own space but they are together in time. They do not seem interested in the attaining the love of their audience, only their ears. It is almost as if they don't realize they are making something beautiful.

While the songs on "Alive As You Are" are excellent, their set hardly varied in terms of color of sound, a sin that would sink a lesser band into the depths of sonic banality. Even the greatest paintings suffer when derived from paints mixed from the same palette. There were times where I literally craved a Leslie speaker, resonating vibrato, feedback, or delay, but perhaps that's just because I'm a sugar addict. Hell, a little extra frosting never hurt anyone. It is probably unfair to judge their live show based upon a set list largely devoted to the new album. Once they integrate their older "wall of sound" material in with these new songs, their performance will likely take on an entirely new dynamic.

DML is in the midst of a short West Coast tour and will be joining Band of Horses on tour this fall.